


Falling under

by MewMewCheshire



Category: Ib (Video Game)
Genre: 18 year old Ib, Action/Adventure, Attempt at Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Slice of Life, Suspense, Teen Romance, after the forgoten portrait ending, more characters as the story goes on - Freeform, mostly cannon universe, part of a series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-23 11:28:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3766447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MewMewCheshire/pseuds/MewMewCheshire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ib remembers things most when she's drawing him,The Forgotten Portrait, but what is it that she so desperately needs to remember? A trip back to the gallery she fought so hard to escape brings it all back. Trials and tribulations await. Can Ib conquer the dark depths of the gallery? Or will she be stuck dreamingly awake in the abyss forever?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A little Less Than Normal

**Author's Note:**

> Yaho! Some of you may know me from Fanfiction.net, and this story was fairly popular there. Just wanted to share it again here!

The sensation of floating...  
  
Everything spiraling horribly out of control....  
  
the lines of reality blur...  
  
A single rose....  
  
In exchange for another...  
  
Time stops.  
  
The tragedy repeats.......  
  
Once more... I’m falling under...

Chapter One : A Little Less Than Normal  
  
I really did mean to draw something else.... But it seems whenever I sketch without thought, I draw Him.  
  
The sleeping one. He’s a painting at Guertena’s gallery. The Forgotten portrait.  
  
In a word? He’s beautiful. His tangled lilac hair cascades so it’s covering one eye. The detail of the painting is remarkable....  
  
Oh well. It can’t be helped I thought. Too late to draw something else.  
  
It’s strange. I feel as if I’m about to remember something whenever I draw him... Like I should remember him...  
  
In my picture his eyes are open, smiling blissfully at a rose. Since I had extra time, I decided to color certain parts of my sketch. His now violet eyes stared brightly at me, as if to say ‘Nice to see you again’.  
  
“Okay Class! Finish up your sketches so we can start painting tomorrow. Put them in the back when you’re done. Pack things up in ten!” our teacher, Mrs. Karin called. “Oh, and don’t forget that our trip to the gallery is a week from today. Be sure to remember to arrive here a little earlier than usual.”  
  
  
I was putting the finishing touches on his rose when four people from another table, three girls and a boy, wandered into my deserted work area.  
  
“Hey look it’s the monster girl.”  
  
“So, what’d the little witch draw?”  
  
“Aw, is it her boyfriend?”  
  
“Pff! As if! Who the hell would wanna date the little faggot?”  
  
“You know? Something not right with this picture... He should have ugly monster eyes just like you!”  
  
The boy grabbed a red marker off of the table and proceeded to inking in my portrait’s already violet eyes. I snatched my sketch before the marker made contact. I was shaking with anger. I felt sort of compelled to protect the man in the picture from harm. On top of that, there was no way I was going to let this group of idiots defile my picture.  
  
“Don’t touch him.” My tone carried a steely edge.  
  
“Aw, she’s protecting her little picture from looking ugly just like her!”  
  
“Too bad nothing you draw will ever look good!” They all laughed.  
  
I grit my teeth, but otherwise stayed silent. They continue to laugh. I averted my eyes to avoid their evil glares.  
  
Then I notice the hanging paint rack in the back of the room was vibrating. It stopped so suddenly I almost considered I imagined it, but then three red paint tubes and a glass jar full of black paint exploded. Several students screamed and backed away to avoid the mess. Red and black paint dripped onto the floor and walls, but more importantly onto four specific sketches. All the other pictures in the back of the room remained spotless.  
  
“Aw, what the...?”  
  
“S-shit! My sketch! “  
  
“Oh my god. Mine too!”  
  
“What the hell?!”  
  
Strange... how only their works had been damaged, but I couldn’t help smiling. As they fussed over what to do over their ruined sketches, I turned back to my own.  
  
_Sorry, they didn’t damage you or anything right?_ I thought. Naturally I had to create a voice for my portrait.  
  
_No... But they certainly got what they deserved! Jerks..._  
  
I gave the mental equivalent of a laugh. I glanced at the clock. One more minuet.  
  
Sighing I got up to put my picture at the back counter with the rest of them. I glanced down once more at the canvas. He now stared forlornly at me. I stared back sadly. I’ll come back tomorrow. I’ll finish painting you then.  
  
_“Don’t leave me....”_ A voice filled with such longing and desperation entered my mind. It was so soft I assumed I imagined it.  
  
I gave one last look at him before I turned to leave. Tomorrow I thought.


	2. Disapear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super short!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this one's super short, but that's the way I formatted originally....

Chapter 2: Disappear

I was walking back to the dorm not really paying attention to my surroundings, when to voluptuous, bottle blonds caught sight of me. I recognized them from my morning classes.

"Hey monster girl." I leaned back when the stench of alcohol hit my face.

"I saw you with Subaru." The girl leaned forward to sneer at me. I backed up some more. Who's Subaru? The only boy I was with recently was...

The boy with the maker...

"Just a note you little whore. He's mine." They both started to advance. "I don't care if he loves some other…" She looked for the right word. "Person."

I sighed. "Look I don't have time for this. I have four essays and a boatload of math to do." I looked them over. It was obvious they wanted to be noticed with the way they displayed themselves "Yeah. So I'm just gonna leave – "

"I saw you with him!" I flinched at her sudden outburst. "He's MINE! I don't care if he cheated on me" the blond with shorter hair tried to console her drunk friend but she pushed her away. "If he cheated on me with you so help me I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU!" Crap! Now my back was against the wall…

"I'm better than you! If you disappear then no one will miss you. You're just a little freak! DIE! DIE! DIE!"

Okay this is really bad. She pulled out a pocket knife.

"H-hey, we came here to blow off steam… I think we should go back to the– " The other one protested.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! She needs to disappear!"

I was looking for an alternate route, when I got this strange feeling... like this situation was familiar... being cornered with a knife...

My train of thought broke when I hear the shuffling of feet.

I've been in my fair share of tough spots... but how was I suppose to get out of this one?


	3. Breaking Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry, these will get longer I promise!

Chapter 3 : Breaking glass

Alright. How am I gonna fix this one? My back is against the wall and the two harpies from hell are closing in. One’s got a knife. I have to admit this does not look good.... I looked around for more options.  
Then I see him. The man in the Forgotten Portrait. Only his form was reflected in a glass window.  
  
“Ib!” His voice was little more than a whisper but it carried a tone of alarm and worry.  
  
His expression hardened from one of shock to one of resolution. Slowly he moved his arms so that they were crossed in front of him, as is he were forming an X. He brought them down fast and hard. The moment he did the glass pane he was reflected in shattered, glass exploding everywhere.  
My pursuers both shrieked.  
  
To add to the effect I screamed “Leave me alone!”  
  
Her friend was passed out on the ground. The one with the knife rightened herself. “You’re little magic tricks won’t scare me!”  
  
I noticed that her hand was shaking. Hesitation. That’s all I need. I made a run for it, bolting pass them.  
  
“NO! I won’t let you leave! GET BACK HERE!”  
  
“When hell freezes over!” I yelled back.  
  
I ran as fast as I could leaving everything behind until I couldn’t run anymore.

  



	4. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little longer? Kinda?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah. Okay not really.

Chapter 4: Lost  
  
It made the news.  
  
Haley Patterson when crazy about killing some demon temptress who stole her boyfriend. Driven to the point of insanity, she went on a mass killing spree claiming everyone was in line with the demon. She was shot on site for putting too many people in danger. Her friend Gwen Kemper was in the hospital with a concussion. She doesn’t remember anything.  
  
I lie wide awake in bed.  
  
Oh. My. God! I really don’t have time for this…I didn’t do anything yet somehow my fault. I’m losing sleep over it. I grab a book. The collected Works of Guertena. Looking at the art work slowly made me relax.  
  
In the morning I came to a resolution. I would forget. It never happened.  
  
I focused more intently on my work. More so than usual.  
  
So when I got to class I tuned out everything and just painted. Stroke by Stroke. By the end of the week the result was vibrant version of the sleeping man.  
  
“Oh, marvelous job Ib! This is amazing!” I turned to see Mrs. Karin examining my canvas from over my shoulder. “You’ve been very quiet this week.” She smiled. “Well more so than usual. If anything’s bothering you don’t hesitate to ask me for help!”  
  
She turned back to address the class.”Alright, pack things up. Our trip to the gallery is tomorrow. Come early!”I packed my brushes and paints.  
I was about halfway down the hall when a boy called my name.  
  
“Curtis.” I acknowledged.  
  
“H-hi Ib. Great job on your painting.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“Y-yeah. Soooo….. I’ll be seeing you then.” He walked away after that. Strange… He’s been hanging around me a lot lately. I turned around to head the opposite direction, but I freeze in place. My eyes widen.  
  
It’s him, reflected in one of the vacant classroom windows. He looks the same as he did the other times he’s appeared. Pale skin, lilac hair… Only this time his expression was one of frustration. _“You’re forgetting me.”_ His soft voice carried a tone of accusation.  
  
It took me a minute to find my voice. “Y-you’re wrong…. I don’t know you. How could I forget if I don’t know?”  
  
He looked so fragile, his voice only a whisper, _“I’m loosing you.”_ A splintering sound shattered the silence that formed. The window cracked into vein like segments shattering the reflection.  
  
I stood there for a moment in shock. When I could feel my legs again I started to head back to the dorm.


	5. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To the Gallery we go!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... don't really know why I made these so short....

Chapter 5: Return

Today’s Tuesday.  
  
The day of our trip to the gallery.  
  
I was excited for a number of reasons. Paintings don’t look nearly as glorious in books as they do in real life. This was my chance to see my favorite paintings.  
  
But there is another reason.  
  
I want answers.  
  
The Forgotten Portrait is a painting in Guertena’s right? I should be able to find some answers in there. Like why does he appear at random? What does he want me to remember? Who is he to me?

  


We boarded the bus and headed to the gallery at about 9.  
  
I turned to look out the window. We were speeding down the highway, landscape blurred as we raced by.  
  
“Uh... S’cuse me... Ib?” I looked up. It was Curtis.  
  
“Can I sit here? With you?” He blushed an even deeper shade of red than my eyes. “If no one’s sitting here I mean.”  
  
“It’s not taken.”He looked like a kid did on Christmas. His sandy blond hair fell in his face as he shuffled into the seat next to mine.  
  


* * *

  


“Alright class. Meet back at the reception desk in three hours. Till then enjoy!” Mrs. Karin shooed us off in different directions.  
  
I wandered through different sections not quite remembering which one the Forgotten Portrait was in. The whole time Curtis walked with me, prattling on about his classes.  
“Hey Curtis? What do you know about the Forgotten Portrait?” I interrupted him.  
  
He stopped in mid-sentence. “Well not much I suppose , since little is known. What do is that the Forgotten Portrait has baffled historians for years. He wears almost modern clothing which is strange considering Guertena’s time period, and the date of which it was painted has never been discovered.” He thought for a moment. “I wonder why it’s called the forgotten Portrait.”  
  
“I think it was the person who was forgotten. In the pictures I’ve seen he seems rather sad in all of them.”  
  
“That’s interesting. We’ll find probably out more when we see it.”  
  
I nodded.  
  
We continued to wander until we reached a long hallway. A large painting covered most of the wall.  
  
“The Fabricated World.” I read out loud. The lights flickered.  
  
“Hey Curtis what’s this painting suppose to be abou–“ I looked around. Curtis was gone.  
  
“Probably went to the bathroom...” I muttered to myself. I looked at the Fabricated World again and noticed that there was blue paint smeared at the bottom of the frame near the title. I leaned closer to read it.  
  
“Welcome Back Ib. Come back and play again.” I jerked back. How’d my name get there? I quickened my pace to get to a new section.  
  
I stopped when I felt something squishy underneath my foot. Fruit? How’d that get there? There was a painting of a bowl of fruit directly above it.  
  
Could it have...? No way! Paintings don’t move! I looked over at the picture next to the bowl of fruit.  
  
“The Lady in Red.” Holy crap! I could have sworn it blinked at me. I started running, trying to find an exit.  
  
I made it to the reception desk. The lights flicked off.  
  
“Electric problem...” I muttered. I headed for the door and grabbed the long brass handle. It’s locked I though. The door won’t budge.  
  
Maybe I can try one of the windows. It looks unlocked, but it won’t open.... I stepped back from the window.  
  
Red liquid streamed down the window pane. Jeez... Not even the receptions desk is safe.  
  
I turn to face the gallery. Well I could explore a little more...


	6. Down the Rabbit Hole Once More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ib meets Garry!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little longer? No?

Chapter 6 : Down the Rabbit Hole Once More.

  


I wandered aimlessly through the gallery. Occasionally a painting would cough at me or in one case meow at me as I walked by. 

  


“Abyss of the Deep”

I noticed that the painting was moving. I leaned down and felt it. It was liquid smooth. Almost like water. Before I could step back, a hand reached from the murky deep me dragging me in as it receded.  


I opened my eyes. I was in a hallway. Now what?  


  
I started down one end of the hallway. Finding nothing useful, I back tracked and headed the opposite direction.

Okay… fifteen minuets at least of pointless wandering. I still hadn’t reached the end. I considered taking a short break when I was Him. This time he wasn’t reflected in glass, he was on a canvas. This was his painting.

The Forgotten Portrait.

I finally found him…

Slowly, I made my way until I stood in front of the painting, taking my time to breathe in every detail. He’s just like the pictures in books, only his glory was amplified by a thousand. He’s slumped against a wall, his lip pursed in…..surprise? And his eyes are open.

Wait, that can’t be right. They’re suppose to be closed. That’s why he’s called the sleeping man(on occasion) But they weren’t. Through his tangled waves of lilac hair one visible violet eye stared at me. Waves of sadness coursed through me. Why do I feel like this?  


* * *

_She stared at me with confusion. She looks so much like…. No. impossible she escaped. Plus this girl is too old to be her. Maybe her older sister? She looked at me like she was meeting a stranger for the first time. Ib wouldn’t forget me would she? I looked at her profound red eyes. They were the same as when I last gazed into them. It seems like centuries…. This was undoubtedly her._  
  
“Ib…?” 

* * *

“Ib?” His voice was quiet as if he wasn’t quite sure of my name.  
  
I shook my head “Who are you?”  
  
He looked heartbroken. Devastatingly crushed. “You forgot?” He whispered.  
  
I looked down to avert my gaze from his sadden stare, “You asked me that already. How could I forget if I never met you?” He just stared at me.  
  
“Can you help me get out of here?”  
  
He shook his head, looking down. “You already fell in. I don’t know what happened but I hope you remember soon. Or you won’t last long.” Silence formed between us.  
  
He jerked his head up suddenly, his eyes widening. “Looks like I ran out of time.” He smiled sadly. “Let’s meet again….” His frame seemed to be dissolving into the wall, vanishing without a trace.  
  
I placed my hand on the wall were the frame one hung. I better get going if I want to get out of here soon…  
  


* * *

  
_I could feel myself fading…“Looks like I ran out of time.”I tried smiling. “Let’s meet again….”_  
  
I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was surrounded by sheer darkness. But I wasn’t alone. It was him.  
  
He smiled. “Looks like it’s my turn…”


	7. Memories of a Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> W-who the hell are you?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah…. So I know that if you really did return to the gallery, the Forgotten Portrait would be like the first painting you’d see when you walk upstairs. But what’s the fun in that? Ib wants answers. There’s no suspense if I let her find them right a way.(Laughs) Uh, I’m such a sadistic writer…

Chapter 7: Memories of a Nightmare  
  
After my run-in with the Forgotten Portrait I continued down the excessively long hallway. After a few moments I hit a wall. (not literally of course) Finally. I thought. I turned to see a vase on top of a table. There was a crimson rose inside of the vase. Slowly I reached out to take it. When my fingers closed around the stem, searing pain burned it’s way into my head.  
  


Memories.  
  
Of a past nightmare.

  


The sensation of floating...

  


Everything spiraling horribly out of control....  
  
the lines of reality blur...  
  
Pain...

A single rose....  
  
In exchange for another...  
  
Loss...  
  
Fire...  
  
  
Time stops.  
  
  
  
Garry.  
  
I remember...  
  


Oh. My. God! I left him here! How could I forget?! That’s why he was so upset when I said I didn’t remember him. He’s waited here for eight fricken years....

I felt the seeping feeling of resolution creep through my veins. I had my memories now. The puzzles should be easy. I’ll find him and bring him back. I pushed the table aside to get to the door, which I knew contained a key.

I pushed the door open and grabbed the blue key on the floor.

“THIEF! “ My head whipped around at the loud shriek.

 _“THEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFFF!”_ the painting on the back wall crawled towards me.

Oh, boy.

I raced to the door and frantically fumbled with the lock. Once I was out I slammed the door it’s face.

“That did NOT happen the last time I was here.” I panted.

“So once again we me here...” That voice! I lifted gaze up.

“G-Garry?”

“Hello Ib.” He smiled at me.


	8. Seiran Master of Illusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp. I tried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to cry. No really, these are soooooo short it's crazy! Whyyyyyyyy?

Chapter 8: Seiran Master of Illusions  
  
He was standing a few yards from where I was. But… he didn’t give off the same aura as the Forgotten Portrait…

His clothes were slightly different and his eyes were….. distinctly yellow.

I backed away. “You’re not Him.”

He paused, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond.

He smiled slowly. “No. I guess I’m not.”

He waved his hand over his hair. A fiery orange color spread across, replacing the lilac.

“I seriously thought that was gonna work. You’re smarter than I originally thought.”

I backed away. “Who are you? Are you a painting by Guertena?”

His smile faltered. “No… I’m not by Guertena.” He paused. “Would you believe me if I said I was a visitor too?”

“No.”

He frowned. “Why not?”

“You just changed your hair color by simply waving your hand! That’s something a normal person can’t do. Unbelievable.”

“I’ve been here a long time. Would it be too hard to believe that I picked up a few tricks?”

I wasn’t ready to trust him yet. “You masqueraded as my friend. You seriously expect be to believe anything you say after that?” Then a new thought hit me. “Wait, how do you know Garry?”

“I met the Forgotten Portrait a while back. He mentioned he was with someone else. You’re a very special person to him Ib.”

I blushed slightly. “How do you know my name?’

“H-he… uh…. calls out for you a lot…” It was faint but there was a distance scarlet creeping across his cheeks. Why would he…?

“Well you know my name. How ‘bout yours?”

His smile returned. “I thought you’d never ask.” Bowing with a flourish he said:

“I am Seiran, Master of illusions.


	9. Fearless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins again....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Chapter 9: Fearless  
  
I walked into what I had concluded was the green hallway. Seiran was trailing behind me, hands behind his head whistling. Somehow he had come to the conclusion to accompanying me on my quest to save Garry.  


“Beware of Edges”

“Huh? What kind of message is that?” Seiran said, nonchalant like always. He walked around the pillar to proceed down the hallway.

I remember this warning… Something was suppose to…

“Seiran! Stop!” I grabbed the sleeve of his coat and yanked on it as hard as I could. He toppled backwards just as a black clawed hand shot out of the wall, right where he had been standing moments before. Shaking, Seiran got up off the floor. “Damn… I guess I don’t know the gallery as well as I thought…”

I sighed pointing at the sign. “Beware of Edges. Don’t walk near the walls. Stand in the middle.”

“Y-yeah… Sure.” He seemed a little scared to proceed again.

“Fine. I’ll go. You sit here. You don’t have to come anyways.” I walked down the hall, black claws shot out at me from both walls, but I never strayed from the middle.

* * *

_Damn. This girl has nerves of steel! She walked down the hallway with black claws shooting out at her like she was simply taking a walk in the park. She didn’t even flinch when one popped out inches in front of her face. I can see why he’s taken such a liking to the little lady…_

* * *

I grabbed the ant painting (Which I had noticed had been restored) and walked back to where Seiran was waiting.

“What’s that for?” He gestured to the painting.

“We’ll be needing this.”

I walked down the hall to another door. This room seems to be the same. I thought. I laid the canvas down over the chasm creating a bridge. I walked along the boarders to avoid stepping on the ant. Seiran, however was not as careful. Once he checked that it could hold his weight he walked on the canvas without avoiding the ant, smushing it. We proceeded down another hall, towards another door. Carefully I opened it. In the room there was a headless statue with a green key at its feet.

I paused remembering this situation. “Seiran, you know how the doors automatically slam shut immediately after you step through them?”

“Yeah. Your point?” he prompted

“I need you to hold the door open. Can you do that?”

”Sure.”

I approached the headless statue and snatched the key at its feet. It jerked to life, just like I remembered.

“Seiran! Now open the door!” Silence. I didn’t have a lot of time.

“Seiran?” I turned around.

“Sorry Ib.” He gave a sly smile before stepping out of the room, leaving me with the statue. The door slammed shut, locking as it did. The statue, meanwhile, appeared to be stretching, rightening its joints.

“Seiran!” I yanked at the doorknob, pounding on the door. A dark shadow fell over me. I turned to see the statue preparing to deliver a right hook. I ducked under its arm, its fist made contact with a wall punching a hole in it. It came after me again and again, swinging its fists. I managed to doge each one. Every now and again it would hit a wall shattering the portion or at least creating a hole in it.

Brute strength.

That gave me and idea...

I lead the statue over to the door by dogging and moving towards it, until I was standing right where I needed to be. It swung once more. I ducked at the last second. Its fist made contact with the door, blowing it off its hinges. Yes! I bolted through the rubble and down the hall.

* * *

_There were loud booms and crashes coming from the room. What on earth is that thing trying to do?! Wreck the whole gallery? There was a deafening crash and the sound of debris falling directly behind me._

_“Aw Shit...” I turned to see that the statue had obliterated the door, blown it clear to the other wall. Before I could even move Ib was off and running, tearing past me with surprising speed. Not far behind was the statue._

_Oh...Not good. I’d better get going. I took off after Ib. she was already over and across the ant painting._

_Shit, shit, shit! The statue was gaining ground; soon it was running side by side with me. Before either of us could do anything, there was a loud tearing noise._

_We were both standing on the ant painting._

_We were too heavy._

_I felt the fabric give away..._

_I tried jumping to the other side, but the statue had grabbed onto my leg. I was hanging on the edge by a few fingers. God this thing is heavy! I swung my leg out hard several times, forcing the statue off._

_Crap I could feel my grip slipping._

_Just as my grasp gave away a small slender hand shot out to seize mine. Ib? She’s trying to help me up... But why?_

 

_I don’t know how, but she managed to drag me out of the chasm. We were both on the floor panting._

_I looked up. “Ib? Why did help me– “_

_SLAP!_

_“Owww~! What the hell was that for?!”_

_“Shut up! Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again!” She was on the verge of tears. “You idiot! You almost got us both killed!” She cried. Streams of tears flowed from her crimson eyes._

_“Ib....” Hesitant at first, I slowly put my arms around her. Just like that, I held her in my arms. She was shaking, her breath ragged with sobs._

_“........”_

“ _Ib? I... I-I’m sorry...”_

_For the first time I realized that I really was._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want more? [Click Me!](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8773920/10/Falling-under)


	10. Crystalized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Seiran's more of a comic relief in this chapter, have fun with this one :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on fanfiction.net! [MewMewCheshire](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4404545/MewMewCheshire)

Chapter 10 : Crystal Clear

  


I don’t know how long we stayed like that. Locked in his embrace. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. Sobs racked through my body. I let the sorrow that I had accumulated through the years flow into my tears. My parent’s deaths, the abuse other people put me through, remembering Garry and how he was left behind.  


Me.  
  
Being able to do nothing about any of this.  
  
Seiran.  
  
He tried to do away with me right? Why did I save him? I had no idea.  
  


“Ib? We gotta get going.” He gently patted my head.

I sniffled, “Kay.”

We walked in silence, down the green hall with the black claws. I looked over at Seiran. He looked as if was deep in thought.

He really did look like Garry, his features were a little bit more angular but he had the same tall figure. His hair was longer. It came down to his shoulders and was now tied in a ponytail. He looked over at me catching my stare. He opened his mouth and closed it, like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. After a few more times I stopped walking. “What? Spit it out already. You look like a fish.” He bit his lip but was otherwise silent. I sighed and started to walk again.

“Why’d you save me?” he asked suddenly. Whoa... that was a straight pitch... But his expression was so serious and confused I burst out laughing.

“What?” He asked defensively.

“N-nothing. To tell you the truth, I don’t know why. I’m sure you had your reasons. I’m not going to hold that against you.” We had reached the door. I unlocked it and stepped in, holding the door open so Seiran could follow. The walls surrounding us formed the shape of a cat, with two doors on opposite sides. There was a fish shaped hole against the north wall.  
I decided to go to the left door first. I cautiously opened the door, Seiran followed behind. This room was filled with pillars. Two rows of four... eight altogether. Each one had a red curtain covering the middle.

To my right there was a poster of a black stick figure. There was paint under it. “Play hide and seek? “ The poster vanished, disappearing into the wall. A button appeared under each of the pillar’s curtain. Great. How do I solve this one?

“What’s this?”

No! “Seiran, don’t touch anything till we’ve–“

AAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!  


  
Too late. He had already pushed the button in front of him. The curtain pulled up to reveal..... 

A woman in the shower.  
  
Slap!  


  
The woman’s hand shot out of the painting and slapped him, swinging the curtain close in the process.

“Oww! What the hell is it with girls and slapping?” He was blushing a fierce red. I see he got a good view...I sighed.

We walked around the room several times before trying to make a decision.

 

“I think it’s this one. He said.

 

I shrugged. “You picked it. You push the button.”

He gave me a pointing look before he poked the button.

A sword came out and slashed at him.

“Shit! How come I take all the damage?! OW, _ow,_ Ow~!”

It’s true the only button I pushed was one that turned off the lights for a couple of minutes. I sighed. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. “Fine I’ll do the next one.”

I picked a random pillar we hadn’t visited yet. It appeared to be a glass bottle with a pale liquid in it.

It was titled “The mermaid elixir”.

“Well?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“Aw, screw it!” He pushed another random button.

“Found me. You get prize.”  


  
I stifled another wave of laughter. Seiran looked like he wanted to cry. “About damn time!” 

Thud!  


  
The sound came from the front of the room. I walked over to see that a wooden fish head had fallen from a painting called “Chief’s Talent”. I picked it up tucking it under my arm.

“Let’s go. This is all we need here.”

Seiran was more than happy to leave and tromped along after me.

I looked over at him again and noticed that he was awkwardly cradling his arm. “Hey Ib–“ I cut off his sentence by grabbing his uninjured arm. “You’re hurt. We need to get you to a vase. I walked over to the door to the right pulling Seiran with me. “I-Ib... I’m fine.”

I ignored him. There were aisles of art supplies cluttering the room. Statues, paint, the works.

Where was... There it is! In the midst of all the equipment there was a grey vase.

I pointed at the vase. “There. You have a rose right? If you really are a visitor then you should have one.

Grudgingly he stuffed his hand in his pocket and dropped it in the vase. My eyes widen. His rose! It was crystal clear, almost like glass... Tentatively I reached out and touched a petal it was smooth and soft just like a real rose.

“Why doesn’t your rose have any pigment?”

Seiran shrugged. “Dunno.” He reached around me to pluck his newly replenished rose from the vase.

“Hmm... We should probably check this room to see if there’s anything useful.”

“Alright.”

We explored the room, each of us checking boxes on opposite side. I was opening another box when the lights flicked off.

“Hwaaa~! Ah... the lights.” Seiran shuffled around. “I-Ib? You there?”

“I’m not.”

“What are you saying.... Of course you’re there...”

I smiled remembering that quote from Garry. A few moments later the lights flicked on.

I heard a sigh from Seiran. “Oh, at first I thought they weren’t gonna come back on.... Where are you? I can’t see you with all this stuff in the wa– “

SCRAPE!  


  
A loud grating noise came from my left. 

SCRAPE!  


  
It was getting closer.

“Ib?” Seiran was now standing in the same isle as me. Slowly he walked over to where I was. He pointed to the entrance to the other aisle. “I’m going to investigate,” he mouthed.  


SCRAPE!  


  
Wait... I’ve done this before too right?  


  
There was a....  
  
That was suppose to...  
  


I yanked back hard on Seiran’s sleeve sending him backwards once more just as one of the statues in the room tipped over and crashed, right where he was leaning over only seconds before.

Seiran got up and brushed himself off, glaring at me, “God damn it, Ib! Would tell me before I do something horribly stupid instead of tugging me back at the last second!”

His expression was hilarious. I couldn’t help it. I had another giggling fit. His frown deepened. “I’m serious! You tell me stuff way too late.”

“Sorry.” I gasped out. “Sure, I got my memories back, but there a little fuzzy. Things aren’t always clear till they happen.”

“Hmf.” He started muttering something that sounded a lot like, “She’s doing it on purpose....”

I reached in to the shattered remains of the statue and grabbed what appeared to be a wooden fish tail. I combined the head with the tail to create a wooden fish. So that’s what the hole in the wall is for...

“Come on.” I called over to Seiran, who was still fuming in his little corner. “I know what to do with this.” I waved the fish.

Once we were both in the cat shaped room, I proceeded to the hole in the wall. I inserted the fish. Almost immediately the floors and wall started shaking and the north wall collapsed to create a hallway. Seiran looked over at me. “Shall we?”

“After you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want more? [CLICK ME!](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8773920/11/Falling-under)


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